http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/players/tyler_loos/131783 Recent articles about Tyler Loos en-us (Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports Images) In every way, shape and form, #MACtion (as both a noun and a verb) is alive and well. Just looking over rosters this spring, it’s simply incredible how much talent returns to this conference in 2013. In specific these offenses (not surprisingly) are stacked; the MAC returns seven wideouts who had at least 800 yards last year, and a staggering seven running backs who rushed for 1,000 yards last season. Yes, you read that correctly: There are seven RETURNING running backs who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year. That number is incredible for two reasons: 1. There were only 61 backs who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year in ALL of college football. 2. That number 61 includes many who have since taken their talents to the NFL. Again, it’s safe to say that #MACtion is alive. It is also definitely well. That also makes the task of putting together a preseason All-Conference team in this league quite challenging. In some ... Fri, 17 May 2013 14:12:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/the_mac_preview_preseason_all_conference_teams/13641106 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/the_mac_preview_preseason_all_conference_teams/13641106 The MAC Preview: Preseason All-Conference teams http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/the_mac_preview_preseason_all_conference_teams/13641106 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png (Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports Images) In every way, shape and form, #MACtion (as both a noun and a verb) is alive and well. Just looking over rosters this spring, it’s simply incredible how much talent returns to this conference in 2013. In specific these offenses (not surprisingly) are stacked; the MAC returns seven wideouts who had at least 800 yards last year, and a staggering seven running backs who rushed for 1,000 yards last season. Yes, you read that correctly: There are seven RETURNING running backs who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year. That number is incredible for two reasons: 1. There were only 61 backs who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year in ALL of college football. 2. That number 61 includes many who have since taken their talents to the NFL.   Again, it’s safe to say that #MACtion is alive. It is also definitely well. That also makes the task of putting together a preseason All-Conference team in this league quite challen... Fri, 17 May 2013 10:18:35 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/the_mac_preview_preseason_all_conference_teams/13637882 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/the_mac_preview_preseason_all_conference_teams/13637882 The MAC Preview: Preseason All-Conference teams http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/the_mac_preview_preseason_all_conference_teams/13637882 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png After weeks of hearing how its overmatched and shouldnt be playing in a BCS bowl game, Northern Illinois gets the chance to shock its critics. The Huskies, champions of the Mid-American Conference, will face Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State in the Orange Bowl on New Years Day night. Northern Illinois has a new head coach in Rod Carey, who was promoted from offensive coordinator after former coach Dave Doeren took the Nc State job. The Huskies are better than most casual observers think, though they havent faced a team nearly as talented as Florida State. Top players Quarterback Jordan Lynch: This dual threat ranks first in the country in total offense (4,733 yards) and has played a part in 43 touchdowns this season. The redshirt junior has thrown for 2,962 yards and leads the Huskies with 1,771 rushing yards. (The teams next leading rusher is Leighton Settle with 453 yards.) Lynch needs 38 passing yards to become the first player in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,500 Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:00:35 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/niu_must_establish_variety_in_orange_bowl/12548296 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/niu_must_establish_variety_in_orange_bowl/12548296 NIU must establish variety in Orange Bowl http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/niu_must_establish_variety_in_orange_bowl/12548296 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png After weeks of hearing how its overmatched and shouldnt be playing in a BCS bowl game, Northern Illinois gets the chance to shock its critics. The Huskies, champions of the Mid-American Conference, will face Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State in the Orange Bowl on New Years Day night. Northern Illinois has a new head coach in Rod Carey, who was promoted from offensive coordinator after former coach Dave Doeren took the Nc State job. The Huskies are better than most casual observers think, though they havent faced a team nearly as talented as Florida State. Top players Quarterback Jordan Lynch: This dual threat ranks first in the country in total offense (4,733 yards) and has played a part in 43 touchdowns this season. The redshirt junior has thrown for 2,962 yards and leads the Huskies with 1,771 rushing yards. (The teams next leading rusher is Leighton Settle with 453 yards.) Lynch needs 38 passing yards to become the first player in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,500 Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:00:35 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/niu_must_establish_variety_in_orange_bowl/12549016 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/niu_must_establish_variety_in_orange_bowl/12549016 NIU must establish variety in Orange Bowl http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/niu_must_establish_variety_in_orange_bowl/12549016 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Northern Illinois' ticket to the Mid-American Conference title game already has already been punched. The 24th-ranked Huskies still aren't planning to take Friday's regular-season finale easy. Northern Illinois (10-1, 7-0 MAC) can set a new school record with its 11th straight win and tie the program's single-season victory total by beating Eastern Michigan (2-9, 1-6) on the road. Coach Dave Doeren, who's taken the Huskies to the MAC championship game in each of his two seasons, said his team has even greater goals. ''I heard only two programs have won 10-plus games the last three seasons: us and Oregon,'' he said. ''If we can continue, obviously getting to 11, 12 and the magic number 13, it would be a magical season for us.'' Junior quarterback Jordan Lynch has rushed for at least 100 yards in nine straight starts and became the first QB in Football Bowl Subdivision history to pass for 400 yards and rush for 100 in last week's 31-24 win over Toledo Thu, 22 Nov 2012 13:07:28 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/no_24_northern_illinois_aiming_for_school_record/12274177 http://network.yardbarker.com/college_football/article_external/no_24_northern_illinois_aiming_for_school_record/12274177 No. 24 Northern Illinois aiming for school record http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/no_24_northern_illinois_aiming_for_school_record/12274177 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png